Some folks here have been asking about Patrick and how he was doing.
I'm afraid I have some rather sad news for you.
He passed tech.
He did his rookie run, doing real well.
As i recall it , it was around 110 mph.
Next run he has a back-fire that burst the safety burst-panel.
The opening points up-wards.
Flames shoot up and burns his arm.
He tries to stop the flames by putting palm of his hand on the opening
left by the burst panel and burns the palm of his hand rather badly.
I saw him right after they treated him in the ambulance.
He was all smiling and laughing and in good mood.
He is a wonderful guy. You just can't help feeling he lifts your spirit
when you meet him....even it that situation.
His friend took him to the hospital right after to have it properly looked at.

Patrick , my man: please get well soon.
I really really really hope they could do some magic at the hospital
so you'll have a chance to run again today.
PM ╗
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Hi Good Speed Freaks!!!
No, no chance to get another run today, I'm carrying a second degree burn blister the size of a potato on my left palm... That will take a few weeks to heal...
Still, I achieved my dream, had a good rookie run of 107mph and a bit, only lost one 3mm screw on the bike, did not break a thing...
Best bit was to get prepared and get here with my wife Susan, my friends Jim and Judy Haubert and get to know them a bit more than just email exchange, also met a bunch of real enthusiast and builders than make one think all is not lost in this world of instant gratification and 5mn memory span.
It was good to see Lars/Octane and his good friend Nortonist, they always had a smile on their faces, despite adversity and whatever the salt throws back at you...
So we're all packed this evening, one last night in Wendower and going South tomorrow for a few more days visiting this country. Everybody we met was most helpful and enthusiastic about our trip...
See you around!!! Patrick

----

another sunday in the chuch of speed.
the salt is a nasty girlfriend.
heal qiuck my friend.
dr dick_______________________o&o__________________-

Been back a week but my internal clock is real screwed up, waking at 3am everyday...

Back at work obviously, we're as busy as before so that's good.

Bike and crate are still in a bonded warehouse in Phoenix, waiting for the paperwork to get done, hope I'll get her back soon, she's been behaving well considering the lack of time to test it and I can't wait to improve her a bit, like moving the burst plate and a few other things (my left leg was a bit too near the throtle which caused it to sticks sometimes)

I had a grand holiday in your country, and Bonneville, what to say, I never saw anything that big... Took nearly 10mn at 40mph to reach our pit from the Interstate.

Running on the salt was a great feeling, the bike went dead true, no wobbles, acceleration was quite decent considering the gearing, 34/59 and 24/38, so 107 on the timed mile for the rookie run was about 4000rpm. I took it easy, you're not supposed to break records on your rookie run!!!

Best of all, the bike did not break, despite my 3rd ill fated run, iddling on the starting line for some 5 to 7mn and getting quite hot. 1st run was aborted when clutch cable failed on the line...

Me thinks my 3/8 fuel line is not big enough, despite my flow test that showed a flow of 1 litre of methanol per mn, I'll also change that ASAP for a 1/2 line, since it started to starve at the end of the rookie run, done only 95mph between the 2 mile and the 2 1/4 mile...

Another big thanks to you with your help on the iddler pulley problems, you should hear the supercharger whine when it's going!!! And also to all that freely gave donations or help to allow me to pursue this dream!!! See below!!!

I would post photos, but we took about 1600 of them and my puter is so old, it can't cope with the load!!! I'll sort it soon I hope...

Yes, all in all a decent result, although I might have liked a few more runs...

Another rookie was on a Turbo Kawa, a big thing... He was all over and only managed 70mph... When we came back to the start line to have the starter sign my time slip, signifying the rookie run was smooth and that I did follow the guidelines, another guy came to congratulate me for going over 100mph... He told me he's been trying for 3 years to get over 100mph with his not too sad car!!!